Doro Dines: Osteria Savio Volpe
Osteria Savio Volpe is one of my favourite restaurants. Heck, I think it’s my favourite restaurant. The food is classic and homey, the vibes are unpretentious, and the service is impeccable. I feel like I can go to a meal there and unapologetically show up as myself, compared to how sterile or stiff some other restaurants feel. I went to Savio Volpe on July 1st to celebrate my official transfer to a new team at work: from Technology Risk to Technology Transformation. The perfect solo meal.
I had the option of sitting at a table for two or the counter; I promptly chose the counter because I love watching the staff prepare desserts, cocktails, and slice beautiful cuts of charcuterie.
As soon as I sat down, one of the bartenders offered me a glass of sparkling red on the house because I was celebrating. I didn’t even know sparkling came in red varieties so this was a pleasant surprise!
Is it a proper solo date without at least one mirror selfie?
Menu provided via laminated QR code - a much better experience than scanning the table
Whenever I go to Savio Volpe, I struggle to order because my eyes are usually bigger than my stomach. Everything on the menu sounds delectable, from the beet salad to burrata to roasted chicken. A classic Cantonese saying is, “Eyes wide, stomach narrow,” which applies to every facet of my being. I asked my server for suggestions on what to order and settled on a burrata to start, a ricotta tortelli as my main, and a scoop of pistachio gelato for dessert.
My meal began with a mountain of burrata dressed with arugula pesto, marcona almonds, and purple basil. It’s served with housemade foccacia that is very heavily buttered (extra servings of focaccia are free, but I had to save room for my main). The pesto brought out the flavour of the burrata and the almonds provided a much needed crunch to play up the textures in the dish.
Burrata (arugula pesto, marcona almonds, focaccia) at Osteria Savio Volpe
Tortelli (greens & ricotta, pomodoro, basil) at Osteria Savio Volpe
After stuffing myself silly with burrata, it was time for my main: a ricotta tortelli! The tortelli was beautifully folded and stuffed with greens & ricotta. It was dressed with a flavourful pomodoro sauce that wasn’t too acidic or too thick. Basil and freshly grated romano (I think?) to top things off. My oh my, this tortelli was unbelievable. Perfectly cooked, stuffed with an excellent ratio of greens to ricotta, and with pieces of basil folded in to layer in flavour.
If you haven’t wondered already, you’re probably wondering now: how on earth did you eat all this cheese? For those who have been around for a while, you will know that I am severely lactose sensitive. If you’re new here, welcome! And now you know… Either way, worry not as I brought Lacteeze with me for this momentous occasion.
Finally, I ended my meal with a scoop of house-made pistachio gelato. It was served in a frosted bowl (gave me some serious A&W frosted root beer vibes) and topped with a few pieces of crushed pistachio. It was extremely creamy and there was a good ratio of fat to flavour. Savio Volpe has an excellent dessert program so make sure you save room for post-meal treats!
Dessert board (July 1, 2021) at Osteria Savio Volpe
Pistacho gelato at Osteria Savio Volpe
If you haven’t been to Savio Volpe, you are seriously missing out because the service, food, and ambiance are all top-notch. My server (whose name I unfortunately do not remember) was an absolute gem. She did a great job of serving me as a solo diner without hovering, but ensured that I felt taken care of. With that said, I was extremely excited to be solo dining and the smile on my face reflected that.
Reservations are available via OpenTable and tend to book up around 3-5 weeks in advance for dinner (unless you want to eat at 9pm) so plan accordingly and commit. You won’t regret it!
What I ordered:
Burrata, arugula pesto, marcona almonds, focaccia ($26)
Tortelli, greens & ricotta, pomodoro, basil ($26)
Gelato of the day ($5)
